Peach Blossom March Trip to Tibet (Part 5): Lhasa (Barkhor Street, Ramoche Temple, Potala Palace Square, Norbulingka)

April 2: Yesterday afternoon we finished our seven-day charter and returned to Lhasa, checking into the Aviation Hotel again. Our return flight is on April 4, so today and tomorrow we'll just wander around Lhasa. I myself spent a week in Lhasa back in 2002, covering all the popular sights—Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, the three great monasteries, Namtso, Yamdrok Lake, and so on. My son X.J., traveling with me, is visiting Lhasa for the first time. Last night we discussed our plan. X.J. prefers natural landscapes and has little interest in temples; however, Namtso is still frozen at this time, and we just went to Yamdrok Lake. Apart from those, most other sights around Lhasa are temples (including Potala Palace), none of which excite him much. He said anywhere is fine, but he strongly preferred places neither of us had been to. So we decided to focus on Ramoche Temple and Norbulingka over these two days. Norbulingka is a garden, and X.J. is quite interested in gardens. Ramoche Temple was built by Princess Wencheng and has great historical significance. Besides, I had never visited either place before. The rest of the time we'll just stroll around Barkhor Street, the old town of Lhasa, and Potala Palace Square to soak up the local customs and atmosphere.

First stop: Barkhor Street. After breakfast we set off, walking east along Beijing Road, arriving around 10:00. Barkhor Street encircles Jokhang Temple; both are in the same area, and entry requires a security check. Jokhang Temple was founded in the 7th century, and inside is enshrined the most revered statue in all Tibet: the 12-year-old life-size statue of Sakyamuni. Legend has it that this statue was made while Sakyamuni was still alive and was consecrated by him personally. For this reason, the statue is extremely sacred to Tibet's faithful, and Jokhang Temple, as the keeper of the statue, is the highest-ranking temple in all of Tibet. Originally, the statue was a gift from an Indian king to China, and later Princess Wencheng brought it to Tibet as part of her dowry. In this sense, Jokhang Temple also holds a long-standing kinship between the Tibetan and Han peoples.

Jokhang Temple was among China's first batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units (1961) and later, in 2000, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. I visited here in 2002. Compared to then, the temple's exterior remains the same; the biggest change is the improved environment. Back then, pilgrims were allowed to "burn sang" (offering incense) in front of Jokhang, burning large amounts of pine branches and mugwort, causing severe air pollution. Now, civilized worship is promoted, and burning is strictly controlled, so the surroundings are cleaner and fresher. Pilgrims, tired from prostrating, sit around on the ground in front of the temple, eating something, in a peaceful atmosphere.

In front of Jokhang Temple there are three ancient steles. The most famous is the "Tang-Tubo Alliance Stele," erected in the third year of Changqing during the Tang Dynasty (823 AD), over a thousand years ago. The stele is flat and pillar-shaped, with a top cover and a base, inscribed in both Tibetan and Chinese with identical text. The inscription explains the reason for setting it up: the Tang and Tubo "desire for joy and harmony never ceased," so this stele was erected "to renew and continue the new harmony." This stele is also called the "Uncle-Nephew Alliance Stele" because, ever since Songtsen Gampo married Princess Wencheng, successive Tibetan emperors referred to the Tang emperors as maternal uncles.

Beside the Alliance Stele are two other steles, one in front of the other. The front stele is the "Stele to Encourage Compassion for Smallpox Patients," and the rear one is called the "Wordless Stele." The former was erected by Helin, the Qing Dynasty's garrison minister in Tibet during the Qianlong reign. At that time, smallpox was rampant, and Helin, on behalf of the central government, had the stele erected to teach inoculation and isolation techniques, urging people to show compassion for sufferers and proclaiming that "smallpox is not necessarily incurable; with proper care, nine out of ten survive." People believed the stele had miraculous powers and would chip off stone powder to take home as a talisman. Over time, this left the stele pockmarked as it is today. The Wordless Stele is said to have been erected to commemorate the craftsmen who built Jokhang Temple. Its surface is blank, hence the name. In 2002, I couldn't see these three steles because they were shielded by high walls. Now they are protected by glass railings, so the full view of all three is clear.

Next was a kora around Jokhang Temple along Barkhor Street. Barkhor Street lies at the heart of Lhasa's old town and is the most sacred circumambulation circuit for Tibetans. I also walked a full circuit around Barkhor Street in 2002. Back then, it was both a circumambulation path and a chaotic vendor market—crowded, unregulated, with stall owners mostly from outside Lhasa. Now Barkhor Street has clearly been tidied up. The stalls that used to clog the street are gone, replaced by orderly shops on both sides. E5

The streets were full of people, almost all Tibetan pilgrims walking the kora. Lhasa has three circumambulation circuits: inner, middle, and outer. Walking inside Jokhang Temple around the "Jokhang" (the hall housing the 12-year-old life-size Sakyamuni) is the inner circuit, called "Nangkhor" in Tibetan. Walking around Jokhang Temple along Barkhor Street is the middle circuit, called "Bhakhor." Walking a loop around Lhasa's old town is the outer circuit, called "Lingkhor," which passes Jokhang Temple, Ramoche Temple, Chakpori Hill, and Potala Palace. Circumambulation must be done clockwise, so everyone on Barkhor Street faces the same direction. Today we walked the "Bhakhor."

At 10:26 we reached the southeast corner of Barkhor Street. Here is the internet-famous "Makye Ame" restaurant, which offers Nepalese, Indian, and Tibetan cuisine. Makye Ame was the lover of the Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso (1683–1706). The two often met secretly at a small tavern on Barkhor Street. The song "Over the Eastern Hilltop" is adapted from Tsangyang Gyatso's love poem "Makye Ame": "Over the eastern hilltop / the white moon rises / Makye Ame's face / floats in my heart..." The restaurant doesn't serve lunch until 11:00, but they let us in for a look. Inside, a silk banner reading "Contributing to Education, Promoting Noble Virtue" pleasantly surprised us, because it was presented by the Everest Hope Teaching Support Team from Xiamen University. This reminded me of my visit to the National Cemetery in Tengchong, Yunnan, in 2006, where a wreath presented by teachers and students from Xiamen University was on display. At that time, the cemetery was managed by the Tengchong branch of a democratic party, desolate and only guarded by a single caretaker. In such a remote and obscure place, signs left by Xiamen University teachers and students always make me feel a warm connection.

X.J. wanted to browse the shops, so I chose to rest under a thousand-year-old tree by the roadside. I chatted with several local elders. They were all very friendly and could speak Mandarin, so communication was easy. Nearby was "Norbu Sampo Teahouse," and from the chat I learned it is the oldest and most popular teahouse on Barkhor Street. So when my son returned, we both went in to sit. They serve sweet tea and butter tea, along with various Tibetan snacks, but we were there just to soak up the atmosphere, so we simply ordered a pot of sweet tea and sipped it slowly. The main hall was spacious and packed, alive with laughter and chatter—all in Tibetan, which I couldn't understand a word of. Next to us sat a strong Kangba man from Chamdo. I tried to converse in Mandarin, and he told me the hall was full of pilgrims who had come to circumambulate and worship, from all over Tibet.

At 11:35 we headed to the "Lhasa Kitchen" Tibetan restaurant near Jokhang Temple Square for lunch. The big English sign says LHASA KITCHEN; the Chinese name "Lhasa Kitchen" is just a small line, and the waitstaff speak fluent English, suggesting it mainly caters to foreigners. But nowadays foreigners are rare in Lhasa, and the restaurant was quiet—a stark contrast to the bustling "Norbu Sampo Teahouse." Not knowing Tibetan food well, we followed online tips and tried several dishes, like yogurt rice. We didn't really take to them. Next to us was an 84-year-old man who had been a lama at Kumbum Monastery in Qinghai in his youth. In 1952, he came to Tibet with the Tenth Panchen Lama, and later became his personal bodyguard until the master's passing. I've been to Kumbum Monastery three times, so we had a great chat. He told me he now enjoys a retired lifestyle at division-chief level, with a monthly income of over ten thousand yuan. "One diner, the whole family's satisfied," he said, living a contented life. Speaking of Tibetan food, he said this restaurant's baozi were especially delicious, that he came often, and insisted I try one. Moved by his generosity, I accepted. Afterwards, we took a picture together.

After the meal, X.J. wanted to check out more shops. I wasn't interested, so I returned to Jokhang Temple Square, found a bench, sat in the sun, and enjoyed the authentic Tibetan fashion "show." Nowadays, many ethnic minorities in China rarely wear their traditional clothing except on festivals or major occasions. Only in Tibet do you still see splendid costumes everywhere on the streets. But this may not last. I encountered a family of five on the square—father, son, daughter, grandson, and granddaughter—from Shigatse. The elder wore a full Tibetan robe, but the grandchildren were dressed no differently from kids inland. I imagine that when these children grow up, they will likely be like most ethnic minorities elsewhere, wearing their splendid traditional clothes only during holidays. A Buddhist sacred place is pervaded with peace, even the 110 police car is distinctive, with "110 Civilian Police Service Station" painted on it.

I also met a young man, a graduate of Tibet University, now working in Maizhokunggar County, part of Lhasa. He was a Bai ethnic minority from Bijie, Guizhou. He had hitchhiked to Lhasa for the weekend and was, like me, just sitting on the square daydreaming. We talked for a long time. His life goal was to develop himself in Tibet, but he was not yet married and couldn't decide whether to look for a "Drolma" (Tibetan girl) or a "Jinhua" (Bai girl). We added each other on WeChat before parting. I later learned he ultimately chose a "Jinhua". However, Tibet meant a lot to him and specially sent him for further studies in Shaanxi. He said he would not forget his original intention and would definitely return to contribute to Tibet after his studies.

Next stop: Ramoche Temple. It lies about 600 meters north of Jokhang Temple. We walked there. The streets and alleys along the way are all part of Lhasa's old town, with shops in strong Tibetan style, and the people we passed were all Tibetans—we seemed to be the only tourists. Exiting the narrow old streets brought us to Beijing East Road. Beijing Road is split into East and West by Potala Palace and runs through the entire city, just like Chang'an Avenue in Beijing's urban layout. The wind of modernity has also swept over Lhasa's old town: the sign of "Dicos" Western fast-food restaurant is very eye-catching. We crossed an overpass and found Ramoche Temple Road right below.

Although Ramoche Temple was built by Princess Wencheng, it now houses the 8-year-old life-size statue of Sakyamuni brought by Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal, another wife of Songtsen Gampo. At that time, Princess Wencheng and Princess Bhrikuti each had life-size Sakyamuni statues from their homelands, and they respectively oversaw the construction of Ramoche Temple and Jokhang Temple. Ramoche Temple faces east, because Princess Wencheng's homeland lay to the east; Jokhang Temple faces south, because Princess Bhrikuti's homeland lay to the south. Originally, the 12-year-old statue from Princess Wencheng was indeed enshrined at Ramoche Temple. Later, when Princess Jincheng of the Tang Dynasty married into Tibet, at her suggestion, the 12-year-old statue was moved to Jokhang Temple, and Ramoche Temple then housed the 8-year-old statue brought by Princess Bhrikuti.

Locals enter Ramoche Temple for free; tourists must buy tickets. We arrived at 13:50. Outside, only a few tourists were taking photos, and it looked very quiet. But as soon as we stepped through the gate, we saw a nearly feverish scene: Tibetan pilgrims were swarming, pushing and shoving, forming a long, tightly packed queue. We joined the crowd, pressing together with the pilgrims, slowly inching toward a large hall ahead. However, before we'd gone far, because we were looking around, we somehow got squeezed out of the queue at a turn. The Tibetan pilgrims take queuing very seriously and absolutely do not allow cutting in. Since we couldn't identify who was directly in front or behind us, we weren't allowed back into line. Helpless, we stood aside, staring blankly. In the center of the great hall ahead was the shrine of the 8-year-old life-size Sakyamuni. When pilgrims reached it, they became extremely emotional, scrambling for the best position to worship reverently. The scene moved me deeply: this is faith. Indeed, everyone should have faith. "If the people have faith, the nation has strength, and the ethnic group has hope." We didn't try to queue again, so we never saw the sacred statue.

At 14:10 we left the temple. Ramoche Temple Road outside is also a core area of Lhasa's old town, bustling with people and rows of colorful shops. There are even benches in the middle of the road for resting. Lhasa's geographical position is far west, so this was local lunchtime. We saw a Tibetan teahouse along the way with a spacious, bright hall, went in, and ordered a pot of sweet tea and yak-meat buns. X.J. doesn't care for Tibetan food; he drank only the sweet tea, barely touched the buns, and I finished most of them. No other plans for the day, so we didn't rush off. X.J. looked at his phone, and I chatted with people.

At 15:30 we left the teahouse and walked west along Beijing East Road, arriving back at the Aviation Hotel at 16:00. We still had leftover delivery pizza from last night, so we made do with that for dinner. For X.J., over these days in Tibet, only pizza has really suited his palate.

April 3: In the morning I asked X.J. He still said he didn't want to visit Potala Palace. I didn't push, as I'd already been there. So today's main plan was just Norbulingka, with plenty of time. After breakfast, around 10:00 we set off, walking west along Beijing Road. Suddenly we saw someone brazenly walking a lamb on a leash down the street. I thought it was a cute pet dog, but when I got closer, I saw the "dog" had horns—it was actually a pet lamb.

At 10:20 we passed by Potala Palace Square, paused to take some photos. We had strolled here on March 25, the day we arrived, but the pictures didn't turn out well because it was nearly dusk. Now the sun was bright. Based on my 2002 experience, I feel that Potala Palace is actually most impressive when viewed from the square. Actually entering the palace didn't leave much impression on me: one hall after another, all gilded and glittering, with countless statues, thangkas, and murals. Because I wasn't familiar with their significance, I'd forget what I'd just seen. But the view from the square is something else: under a deep blue sky, Potala Palace towers majestically as if born of the heavens, inspiring awe. The palace sits atop Marpo Ri (Red Hill), divided into Red and White sections. The Red Palace, in the center, mainly holds religious halls and the stupas of past Dalai Lamas; the White Palace, on either side, contains their living and working quarters.

Potala Palace Square is not just a square. In its southeast corner there are pavilions and a small lake. Large willows grow by the lake, and a few peach trees were in bloom, their bright blossoms bringing spring to the square. At the southern end stands the "Tibet Peaceful Liberation Monument," a stylized Mount Everest shape, with two bronze sculptures at its base depicting liberated serfs and soldiers building roads.

At 10:50 we reached Chakpori Hill, a small hill at the far west end of the square. Originally, Chakpori and the Red Hill (where Potala Palace stands) were connected by a ridge. When Beijing Road was built, the ridge was cut through. Later, several white stupas were built along the line of the former ridge, symbolizing that the hills remain linked. Today those white stupas are a famous sight on the square and a popular photo spot.

About 300 meters west beyond the stupas is the "Treasure of the Plateau" bronze sculpture: two gleaming golden yaks. It is the emblem of Lhasa. In 2002 I saw these yaks at a traffic roundabout on the west side of the square; later, to ease congestion, they were moved further west to their current location. Around the yaks is a small park with spring flowers in full bloom, very beautiful. From here, looking east, you can also see a side profile of Potala Palace.

Norbulingka Road lies south of the golden yaks. Follow it all the way west, and you'll reach Norbulingka. "Lingka" means garden in Tibetan. Norbulingka is the "Summer Palace" of successive Dalai Lamas, first built in the mid-18th century. It was originally a weedy, shrub-filled stretch of wasteland along an old course of the Lhasa River. After over 200 years of development and planting, it has become the largest and most famous man-made garden in Tibet, covering 36 hectares. Within its grounds are flowers and trees common to Lhasa, plants unique to the southern and northern slopes of the Himalayas, and many rare species introduced from inland China and abroad—a virtual botanical garden. Amid the extensive woods hide over 300 buildings large and small, forming clusters of Tibetan-style palaces such as Kelsang Podrang, Serpe Podrang, Chundu Podrang, Shartre Lhakhang, and Dadeng Mingju Podrang. In 1988 the State Council designated Norbulingka a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit (third batch), and in 2001 it was listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

Norbulingka has gates on all sides. At 12:10 we entered through the main gate (East Gate 2) and first came to Kelsang Podrang, located on the eastern side of the park, just a short walk from the entrance. Kelsang Podrang is the earliest palace in Norbulingka, built in 1755 by the Seventh Dalai Lama, Kelsang Gyatsho. "Podrang" means palace. But by inland standards, it's very small, mainly just a few rooms: the Protector Deity Chapel, Assembly Hall, bedroom, reading room, etc. We walked through and came out quickly. Across from this complex was a Tibetan teahouse, and since it was already noon, we went in for lunch, ordering butter tea and Tibetan noodles. The butter tea was delicious, but the noodles had a gummy, half-cooked texture. Lhasa's high altitude means water boils at 87°C, so half-cooked noodles are inevitable. Tibetans, born to high altitudes, are accustomed to it, but for most out-of-town visitors (like X.J.), it's hard to swallow. That's why Han restaurants in Lhasa use pressure cookers for noodles. Again, we didn't rush off after the meal—it seems to be a local custom to sit and chat long after eating. Children chased each other around the hall, dressed no differently from mainland kids, shouting "Boonie Bears."

At 13:00 we left the teahouse and followed signs to Serpe Podrang, on the western side of Norbulingka. We cut through large wooded areas, feeling we walked a long way, and passed a zoo (extra charge) that we didn't enter on the advice of some Tibetans who said there wasn't much to see. At 13:30 we reached Serpe Podrang, built by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama (1876–1933) in 1922. It felt much grander than Kelsang Podrang. Inside the ornate gate was a spacious courtyard with a flagstone path down the center, towering ancient trees on both sides, and spring flowers in riot—heart-lifting. It was only early spring; the trees were just budding green. In summer, this place must be thick with shade, no wonder the Dalai Lamas chose Norbulingka as their summer retreat.

Serpe Podrang is a three-story palace. The ground floor holds the throne of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, where he handled affairs and received guests. The second floor has visitors' lounges, and the third floor was used for religious ceremonies. Every hall is decorated with murals and wood carvings, and some items used by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama are on display. What impressed me most was an old European-style carriage, a rarity in China. It's said the carriage came from British India, disassembled for transport over the Himalayas, and reassembled in Lhasa.

Behind Serpe Podrang is the Gelsang Deji palace complex. The buildings here are not large but numerous, clustered into a sizable compound. The most famous is a two-story building at the intersection called "Gelsang Deji Podrang." An inscription says it was built from 1926 and completed in 1928. The lower floor served as a treasury for gold and silver, the upper as a reception hall for honored guests. Its interior murals depict the Pure Land of Guanyin, Mount Wutai, and other Chinese themes, and the wood carvings also use many Han motifs—a palace strongly flavored with Han-Tibetan cultural fusion. However, it was under renovation and closed to visitors.

From Gelsang Deji Podrang we turned right (east) and walked about 500 meters to the North Gate of Norbulingka. Signs indicated that further south lay "Dadeng Mingju Podrang" and "Tsoji Podrang." I later learned that Dadeng Mingju Podrang, commonly called the "New Palace," was built after Tibet's peaceful liberation, funded by the Central People's Government. Its exterior is traditional Tibetan, but the interior is modernly fitted. Tsoji Podrang is the most scenic spot in Norbulingka, commonly known as "Lake Palace." Unfortunately, we didn't know this then, and after a long walk we were quite tired, so we exited directly through the North Gate, missing both palaces.

Potala Palace is the Winter Palace, Norbulingka the Summer Palace. Yet while Potala Palace teems with tourists, Norbulingka was pitifully quiet. In our loop through the garden, we saw only local Tibetans; few out-of-town visitors. For typical tourists, Norbulingka is just a big forest with a few small palaces—nothing striking compared to the grandeur of Potala. Given limited time, most naturally choose Potala and skip Norbulingka. We were the exception. In 2002 I stayed at the Lhasa Hotel (right next to Norbulingka). Though I covered all of Lhasa's major sights, Norbulingka, literally steps away, I never managed to visit—a big regret. Today I finally made it. X.J. doesn't like palaces or temples, but he has a soft spot for deep woods, so he was in his element and took many photos. Xiamen is ever-blooming, barely having a spring, but Norbulingka in early spring, with big trees sprouting green after a harsh winter and gorgeous blossoms everywhere, thrilled him. Norbulingka was originally reserved for Tibet's upper nobility; after 1959 it became a people's park. Now it's a beloved picnic spot for local Tibetans. As we walked, we saw many families with tents and mats, relaxing and picnicking among the trees.

From the North Gate we took a taxi back to the foot of Chakpori Hill at 14:30. There we saw a "Macau Hotpot" place with a Western restaurant attached, so we decided to have a second lunch. X.J. couldn't stomach the Tibetan noodles and had only some butter tea in Norbulingka, so he was hungry. We ordered salad, roast chicken, pizza, and fries. But our eyes were bigger than our stomachs: after salad, chicken, and pizza, we couldn't tackle the fries when they arrived and packed them all to go.

Over the meal we talked about Potala Palace. I urged X.J. he should at least go inside—hardly a trip to Tibet without seeing such a famous place, even if just to go through the motions and be able to say he'd been. He finally came around. So at 15:40 we left the restaurant and crossed the street to the foot of Potala Palace. But once there, X.J. had other ideas: he wanted to linger, take photos—of himself and of Tibetans in splendid robes doing their kora. We dawdled until 16:15 when we reached the ticket office (South Gate of Potala Palace); they'd already stopped selling tickets. Instead of disappointment, X.J. looked relieved, saying, "Good, now we can't get in even if we wanted to!" Back at the hotel, we didn't go out again. We had the leftover fries with tea for a makeshift dinner.

April 4: After breakfast it snowed lightly, then cleared up. Today we fly back to Xiamen. The airport shuttle picks up right at the hotel gate; the ticket office advises taking a bus three hours before flight departure. Our Xiamen Airlines MF8486 was scheduled for 14:30, but around 10:00 we got a message that MF8486 was delayed by two hours. This meant we could eat lunch before leaving. For convenience and time control, we ordered KFC delivery in our hotel room.

13:00 we checked out (the latest time is 14:00). At 13:10 we boarded the airport bus. We passed the Lhasa Department Store, the monument on the Qinghai-Tibet and Sichuan-Tibet highways, and at 13:25 crossed the Lhasa River via Liu Wu Bridge, then through Liuwu New District onto the airport expressway. After the light snow, the green bushes by the road with snow-capped distant mountains made a superb view. At 14:02 we passed through Gala Mountain Tunnel, at 14:05 crossed the Yarlung Tsangpo River on the Yajiang Grand Bridge, and at 14:15 arrived at Lhasa Gonggar Airport.

After check-in we sat in the departure hall. Up to 16:30 there was still no boarding information. When we asked, we learned our plane had not yet arrived at Lhasa due to weather; there was no boarding time in sight. Left with no choice, at 17:30 each of us had a cup of instant noodles (10 yuan each) as a first dinner of the day. Lhasa airport is small; from the window, the whole airport is visible. Just as we finished our noodles, we saw a Xiamen Airlines plane land. At 17:56 boarding was announced. We took off at 18:26, first climbing along the Yarlung Tsangpo river valley, then straight into the blue sky.

Once steady, they served a meal—our second dinner today. On the ground, snowy peaks began appearing: "One mountain after another, all connected, ya la suo, this is the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau." Both of us were snapping away with our cameras. To photograph the mountains, we'd each asked for window seats at check-in, so we weren't sitting together.

At 20:35 we landed at Chongqing Jiangbei Airport. Chongqing passengers got off first, then we transfer passengers to Xiamen were arranged to disembark and take a shuttle bus to the terminal. But barely had we settled in the terminal when we were told to go immediately to another gate and take a shuttle bus again. At 21:18 we were back beside the plane. When we reboarded, the cabin that had been full was now nearly empty. After takeoff, they served another meal—our third dinner of the day. We both ate way too much. Arriving in Xiamen, the arrivals hall was deserted. The display clock read 00:00: it was already April 5.